Calculating Frictional Force on a Roller Coaster: Solving for Final Velocity

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the final velocity of a roller coaster descending a hill, given its initial velocity, the hill's length, angle, and the coefficient of friction. The context is within the subject area of dynamics and friction in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relevance of the x and y components of velocity and the necessity of mass or acceleration in solving the problem. There is a suggestion to create an unknown for mass, as it may cancel out later in the calculations. Some participants also mention focusing on forces and work done.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various interpretations of the problem and attempts to clarify the role of mass and acceleration. Some guidance has been offered regarding the approach to take, particularly in terms of analyzing forces and considering work done.

Contextual Notes

The original poster expresses uncertainty about how to relate velocity to friction and notes the absence of mass in the problem statement, which raises questions about its significance in the calculations.

Claire
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Homework Statement


Ok so there was a question on a physics quiz I did that I have no idea how to answer. There was a roller coaster going down a hill with an initial velocity of 1.67m/s. The hill is 60m long and had an angle of 40 degrees. There is a coefficient of friction of 0.100 with the roller coaster. We had to find the final velocity

Homework Equations


Ff=uFn
F=ma
d=volt + 1/2at2

The Attempt at a Solution


I honestly had no idea what to do for this question. I assume it had something to do with the x and y components of velocity, but I feel like you need mass or acceleration to answer this question and I don't know how to relate velocity to friction.
 
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Can you post your free body diagram please. By the way, welcome to Physics Forums.
 
Oh, and please show your x and y axes.
 
Claire said:
something to do with the x and y components of velocity
Not really.
Claire said:
you need mass
When a problem like this does not provide mass, either as a definite value or as an unknown allowed in the answer, it is a fair bet that it does not matter what the mass is. Just create an unknown, m, for it and expect it to cancel out later.
Claire said:
or acceleration
It can be done that way, but you do not need to find the acceleration.
Find the forces, then think about work done.
 
Thank you to everyone who offered to help, I figured out the answer!
 

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